God Wants You To Know Something Series

GOD WANTS YOU TO KNOW SOMETHING

Dr. Larry Petton

Text: Luke 11:1-10

Series: TALK TO YOUR FATHER (90 Days in The Lord’s Prayer)

Did you hear about the old golfer who was standing in front of the first tee, a hazardous hole with a green surrounded by water, and wondering if he should use his new golf ball? Deciding that the hole was too dangerous, he chose an old ball that he could afford to lose and placed it on the tee. Just then he heard a Voice from above say loudly: "Use the new ball!"

Frightened, he replaced the old ball with the new one and approached the tee. Now the Voice from above shouted: "You better take a practice swing!"

With this, the golfer totally obeyed the Voice. He stepped backward and took a swing. Feeling more confident, he approached the tee when the Voice again rang out: "Use the old ball!"

Are you listening to the voice of God? Is He speaking to you about something? The question before us today is: HOW DO YOU KNOW THE WILL OF GOD? Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy will be done”. What does that mean?

Jim George once said, “Prayer is our attempt to bring our will and desires in line with God’s will. “ That’s a great statement, but it is just the opposite of how so many talk to their Father in Heaven. So often we come to church and pray for God to put His rubber stamp upon our plans. They are plans that we made totally independent of prayer and independent of what He has declared in His Word. And that is just the opposite of how Jesus prayed. He taught us to pray, “THY will be done.”

PERSONAL QUESTION

How do you say the phrase, “THY WILL BE DONE”, when you pray the Lord’s Prayer?

• “Ok, have it your way! Whatever.”

• “I guess I really don’t have a choice, do I?”

• “I don’t like this at all, but do what you want anyway!”

Do any of these represent the attitude of your heart right now?

Come on, be honest with God and yourself. He already knows what you are thinking, anyway.

That is not how Jesus meant the Lord’s Prayer.

That is not how Jesus prayed the Lord’s Prayer.

That is not how Jesus prayed when the game was on the line – the Garden of Gethsemane.

LET’S GO BACK TO GETHSEMANE.

It was the night before Jesus died. He was about to carry the judgment of the sins of every person who would ever live on this planet (I John 2:1-2). He was under such intense pressure that He sweat drops of blood. This is medically possible for someone facing excruciating stress. Notice how He prayed in Luke 22:40-46:

When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”

This prayer from the heart of Jesus shows us so many things about His relationship with the Father.

1.Jesus turned to the Father in moments of pain. Do you talk to your

Father when you are hurting?

2.Jesus was able to be transparent with the Father and tell Him how he felt.

This is a great example for marriages. Do you have the freedom to tell your spouse how you feel, even if you disagree with a decision that is being made in the home? Jesus and the Father were ONE. The husband and wife are ONE. If you are united, then you should listen to each other.

3.Jesus made his will subservient to the Father’s will. Jesus was no hypocrite. He prayed just like he taught others to pray. His walk and his talk matched up even though it was painful.

JESUS AND THE WILL OF THE FATHER

Jesus clearly defined His mission statement in John 4:34: “My food is to do the WILL OF HIM who sent me and to accomplish His work.” Maybe you should hang that verse in your cubicle at work, on the dash of your car, plaster it on your refrigerator or post it to your favorite social media.

Summary:

• Jesus knew the will of His Father.